Chen Pingjiang handed the stage back to the host, walked off, and sat down next to Ning Yongde.
The people at this table were all carefully chosen.
First were the university leaders, and besides them, there were also well-known partners and financial backers.
A vice-principal from New Oriental's Dongjiang branch smiled and said to Chen Pingjiang:
"New Oriental is very much looking forward to Renren.com making a big splash in the national market next year, and we are also very willing to have long-term in-depth cooperation with your company."
Chen Pingjiang feigned a flattered look:
"Thank you for your favor!"
"It's a win-win. The advertising campaign this time had excellent results, and the headquarters leaders are all very satisfied."
Hao Shaoping still had his capabilities.
Under the title of gala director, he managed everything in an orderly fashion, and the programs were also very exciting.
A group of professionals delivered outstanding performances on stage, drawing cheers and applause from the audience.
Cosplay was the highlight of the entire event.
Misaka Mikoto, Mouri Ran, Sasuke, Tsunade, Naruto, Sun Wukong, Piccolo—one anime character after another appeared, eliciting considerable cheers.
"Too bad Tokisaki Kurumi hasn't appeared yet, otherwise it would be an absolute sensation?"
Chen Pingjiang thought.
He Zhiyu was a bit confused, and even less understanding of the surging cheers from the young people around him.
Chen Pingjiang smiled:
"This shows we have a generation gap. These are our childhood memories."
The cosplay was highly accurate; Hao Shaoping probably found a professional team somewhere.
"Da yi dou ka yi ni, bu ku wa mei yi dou li dai, na gai C la lei da..."
When the singer sang the first line of "Sekai ga Owaru Made wa..." in Japanese.
The entire venue erupted in cheers!
"Holy cow, holy cow, it's practically the original singer, so awesome."
"My youth, Mitsui."
"Coach, I want to play basketball!"
"They understand us so well, these are all things I love to watch. In comparison, all the galas at school are damn garbage!"
"Damn, I'm so excited I could cry!"
Most of the programs directly hit the "G-spot" of this generation, making people exclaim in delight.
Chen Pingjiang himself didn't plan to arrange several programs specifically for school leaders and partners, because it wasn't necessary.
In comparison, what he cared more about were Renren.com's 100,000 registered users.
The two editors from the content department responsible for live reporting were incredibly busy, taking all sorts of photos, which were then compiled into graphic articles and posted on Renren.com.
But how could mere graphic articles satisfy them?
A group of users were scratching their heads impatiently.
"I'm heartbroken, I really wanted to go! I regretted it the moment I saw my favorite Misaka Mikoto. Why didn't I post more back then?"
"The one cosplaying Sasuke is quite handsome."
"Damn, is that the Japanese version of 'Sekai ga Owaru Made wa...'?"
"Awesome, awesome."
"Is it still not too late if I go to Wanbin now and just listen from outside the venue?"
"Yeah, for cosplay, you can still see pictures, but for music programs, you can't hear the songs."
"Someone at the scene must have recorded videos. Once they upload them to Tudou or the newly launched Youku, we'll share them then."
The graphic live broadcast continued.
A new set of live photos was uploaded, prominently featuring a group of youthful and beautiful girls, wearing T-shirts and denim shorts, revealing a whole lot of fair legs.
The dance "Treading Waves."
"These legs... ah, no, I'm getting a nosebleed."
"Damn, this must be from some dance club, right? So fair and long."
"Treading Waves, Xu Huaiyu's 'Treading Waves'!"
"..."
Qiao Zirang, the Communication University website administrator, was shouting himself hoarse.
Never before had a gala excited him so much; it was like a festival for young people.
Program after program, he loved every one, singing and bouncing along.
Coupled with the expensive stage lighting and sound system Chen Pingjiang paid for, the atmosphere was perfectly charged.
It was almost time for the Renren.com employees' program, which put them in a difficult spot.
With the previous programs being so good, wouldn't their performance on stage be a joke in comparison?
But since they were already here, could they not perform?
So, Gao Songbin and others went on stage to perform their skit.
They had spent time rehearsing, and it was still somewhat entertaining.
The only minor flaws were frequent forgetfulness of lines and other issues, but everyone already knew they were employees from the announcement, so they weren't too demanding and just chuckled along.
Chen Pingjiang also laughed along, completely unaware that the host, who had returned to the stage, had already set his sights on him.
By the time he realized something was amiss, the host had already spoken:
"Does everyone want to hear Mr. Chen sing?"
"Yes!"
The audience responded in unison, their faces filled with excitement.
Chen Pingjiang shrugged helplessly, someone must have been playing tricks.
He had been asked to perform a number himself before, but Chen Pingjiang was too busy and never went to rehearsal, so it was dropped.
Who knew it would be brought up again now?
A group of rowdy people below the stage shouted and cheered, as excited as if they were getting married.
Chen Pingjiang didn't waste words.
As a karaoke king, this small stage wouldn't faze him.
After going on stage, Chen Pingjiang asked the sound engineer for the instrumental track of "Like You."
Zhao Shaoyang saw Chen Pingjiang's face break into an evil, mischievous grin and screamed:
"Brother Chen is about to show off big time, he always smiles like that when he's showing off."
As expected.
Chen Pingjiang didn't know where he borrowed an electric guitar from.
"Damn, when did Brother Chen learn electric guitar?"
"He kept that hidden deep, didn't he?"
"Is the boss miming or...?"
"My male god is so handsome!"
"..."
Chen Pingjiang, wearing a suit and with an electric guitar slung across his back, played a few notes as if getting a feel for it.
He had played electric guitar for a while before, but it had been a long time since he touched one.
A suit paired with rock music, plus his tall stature, created an undeniable visual impact.
Some girls in the audience started screaming!
Dong Tinghui pouted enviously:
"Old Chen didn't secretly prepare for a long time just for this annual meeting to show off this skill, did he?"
"Obviously not, look, when the host pulled him onto the stage just now, Brother Chen clearly hesitated for a moment."
"Damn, is there anything he can't do? I knew it, no wonder Wang Liwen never took a liking to me, Old Chen must have stolen her heart."
"Hehe, blaming the outhouse when you can't poop."
Cao Jie, with an expression like she was about to faint, shook Yan Yan's arm:
"Your man actually sings and plays guitar! I really can't help but want to write a romance novel, he's the male lead."
Yan Yan ignored her, letting Cao Jie hold her arm, her eyes fixed on the figure on stage.
The next second, the gaze from the stage happened to fall upon her.
Their eyes met, both smiling.
"The drizzle with wind drenches the evening street,
Wiping away the rain, innocent eyes look up
..."
Chen Pingjiang's own vocal condition was quite good, his voice was very suitable for this song, and since he always ordered this song at KTV, he sang it with great ease.
After the first line was sung, it ignited the enthusiasm of the audience below the stage.
When it came to the middle instrumental break, he put the microphone aside, picked up the electric guitar, and started playing.
The instrumental break of "Like You" is top-notch, arguably the soul of the entire song, and it's not very difficult.
Chen Pingjiang could quickly get the hang of it with a little recollection.
"So handsome, my male god!"
Zhao Shaoyang looked at Chen Pingjiang and thought, if I were Brother Chen showing off on stage, how wonderful would that feel?
When the song ended, a crowd of people actually shouted for an encore.
Chen Pingjiang quickly waved his hand, he only had so much in his repertoire and couldn't pull out any more.
After showing off, it's time to run.
Various performances continued until around five in the afternoon, gradually coming to an end.
Next was the most anticipated segment for everyone, the annual meeting lottery.
The host conscientiously read out a long list of sponsor names, with Yuanfang Supermarket prominently listed first.
As for the promotional effect, it's better than nothing.
The provincial TV host was excellent at creating a lively atmosphere, conducting several small games in a row, with various prizes for the winners.
At the evening banquet, Chen Pingjiang, in a display of hearty generosity, welcomed all comers, transforming into a god of war, and directly overwhelmed He Zhiyu, who was finally escorted away by his wife Qin Han.
The annual meeting was a joyous occasion for both hosts and guests.
Renren.com users were practically grinding their back teeth.
"I just have one question, will it be held next year?"
"My male god actually sings?"
"The thought of not getting to freeload makes me feel like I've lost a hundred million."
"..."
That evening, students returned to their dorms and uploaded the filmed annual meeting videos to Tudou.com and Youku Video.
The links were shared on Renren.com, and everyone exclaimed how enjoyable it was.
But the fermentation of Renren.com's annual meeting went far beyond that.
Although Renren.com's users were concentrated in Dongjiang Xianlin University Town.
However, some busybodies posted the video links to websites like Xiaonei.com, Hupu, Xici Hutong, and Tianya Tribe.
"Wow, I know these cosplay actors, I've seen them at ChinaJoy."
"Renren.com? I didn't expect it to be an SNS too."
"The founder is so young, oh my goodness."
"I recommend using Renren.com, it has many more features and ways to play than Xiaonei.com."
Even in 2006, the power of online dissemination was not to be underestimated.
On that day, Renren.com's registered users surged significantly.
...
The Renren.com annual meeting came to a close.
The tense exam week arrived.
Dorm 603 still adhered to the code of conduct:
"Whoever dares to read is a dog."
Before, Wang Lei was the one who was most vocal, now it was Chen Pingjiang.
"Old Dong, where did you run off to today?"
"I... I went online."
"I'll give you one more chance, don't make me."
"..."
Amidst such commotion, they finally entered the examination hall.
Most of the questions, Chen Pingjiang couldn't even understand, let alone write answers to.
For subjective questions, he could write a bunch of plausible nonsense.
For multiple choice, he chose C all the way.
Calculation questions? Forget about it.
After the exams, the students were like wild horses unleashed.
Many had booked tickets home early and rushed to the train station, dragging their luggage and bags.
The guys from Dorm 603 had a farewell meal for the winter break.
"I feel like I can pass at most two subjects, and I'll have to retake the rest."
"This isn't scientific. Why do I feel like I won't pass any subjects?"
Zhao Shaoyang stared blankly.
"Brother Chen, how did you do on your exams?"
"Not bad, I probably won't need to retake any."
Chen Pingjiang said with a smile.
"What?"
As soon as he said that, five incredulous gazes immediately shot his way.
Dong Tinghui smiled:
"Among us in the dorm, only Little He might pass everything. Old Chen, it's not that I look down on you, but you barely attended classes, had almost no usual performance scores, and didn't review, so don't be too blindly confident."
This group of 'big grievances' had the mentality of purely "fearing their brother would suffer, and fearing their brother would drive a Land Rover."
Seeing Chen Pingjiang speak as if it were true, Zhao Shaoyang was immediately a bit confused.
"Brother Chen, you're not joking, are you?"
"Why would I joke?"
Chen Pingjiang looked bewildered.
"Gah."
Now Dong Tinghui couldn't laugh either.
"No, why? I attended more classes than you, and even secretly went to the library to study, and I still have to fail two subjects. How can someone who doesn't attend classes or study pass everything? Is there any justice?"
"I know, there's foul play!"
Dong Tinghui, seemingly having discovered the truth, was overwhelmed with grief and indignation.
What a utilitarian and realistic society!
Wang Lei was dumbfounded:
"A few days before the exam, Brother Chen, you were more excited than I was. I was wondering then, so this is why."
Chen Pingjiang grumbled:
"What the hell do you guys know? Although I don't go to class, there are tricks to exams. Besides, doesn't starting a business count towards participation grades? Which of the statistics, marketing, and management studies we're learning isn't needed during entrepreneurship? You only look at the surface of the questions, which is quite superficial."
"That works too?"
The few of them exchanged wide-eyed glances.
Chen Pingjiang waved his hand:
"Let's not talk about this anymore. If we keep going, I'm afraid you'll feel bad. I heard that the school will send the first-year final exam results home."
"?"
"Damn, why didn't I know?"
"I feel like my butt is going to be in big trouble, Brother Chen, do you know what courier the school uses?"
"Probably EMS?"
"Got it, I need to figure out a way to intercept the report card at the courier station, otherwise I won't have a good New Year."
...
The first semester of university finally ended.
To start his business, Chen Pingjiang couldn't even go home for National Day.
Suddenly, he was eager to return, wanting to go back early and see his elderly parents at home.
After sending a text message to Yan Yan, Chen Pingjiang called Zhou Guanghan over.
The Sports Institute next door started their holiday two days earlier than the Finance University, so Zhou Guanghan had been waiting.
Seeing Zhou Guanghan, Chen Pingjiang patted Erzi's shoulder with satisfaction:
"How's the girl from your Christmas date progressing?"
Speaking of this, Zhou Guanghan looked somewhat dejected:
"After dinner and the movie, I mustered up the courage to confess but was rejected. She said I was a good person and wanted me to be her older brother."
Chen Pingjiang showed a strange expression, was this a "good guy" card?
But Erzi's dating skills were very rusty; who confesses right after a movie?
That's too direct.
"No worries, after the New Year, you'll come to work at Renren.com, and I'll introduce you to someone amazing then."
For the past few months, Chen Pingjiang had intentionally placed Zhou Guanghan in the catering sector, letting him accumulate some experience and understand the ropes first.
After the New Year, many projects for the catering company would start simultaneously, and then more responsibilities would be given to Zhou Guanghan.
After putting the suitcase into the trunk of the Audi A6, Zhou Guanghan looked left and right after getting into the car; everything seemed very new.
This was his first time riding in Chen Pingjiang's car.
Zhou Guanghan, as a true man, loved cars like his life.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have hit someone with his car in his past life.
"When we return for the new semester, I'll sign you up for a driving license, and then get you a car to drive,"
Chen Pingjiang said with a touch of emotion.
This time, Zhou Guanghan didn't refuse.
The dark-skinned young man nodded repeatedly, beaming with joy.
Just then, a call came in.
Chen Pingjiang grabbed his phone and saw an unknown number.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Is this Chen Pingjiang? This is Ma Lingli."
"Is something wrong?"
"Could you do me a favor? It snowed and froze a while ago, and Xinyue accidentally sprained her ankle while walking. She's been in bed for quite some time. I told her to tell her family, but she absolutely refused. I heard you bought a car, and you're both from the same area, so could you..."
Before she could finish, the call was hung up.
Chen Pingjiang didn't even have to think to know that Zhang Xinyue must have snatched the phone.
This girl is sometimes overly tsundere; she doesn't even know what she's doing to herself.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Pingjiang called back and told them to wait downstairs.
When the car drove downstairs to the girls' dorm, he saw Ma Lingli pulling a suitcase with one hand and supporting the limping Zhang Xinyue with the other, just walking out of the dorm building.
Zhang Xinyue's small face still carried an unwilling expression.
With that tsundere look, she deserved to be teased relentlessly!
Zhou Guanghan eagerly ran out of the car, unceremoniously put Zhang Xinyue's suitcase in, and then consciously sat in the back seat.
Seeing Zhang Xinyue's discomfort, Chen Pingjiang's temper immediately flared.
"You've sprained your ankle, yet you're still not behaving? Do you want me to leave you behind, and you hobble home? Even if you make it home, you'll probably have to lie in bed for the entire Chinese New Year."
Only then did Zhang Xinyue quiet down, pouting her small mouth and sulking against the passenger-side car door.
Speaking of which, the two hadn't seen each other for almost three months.
Their contact lessened after they went for milk tea together after the National Day holiday.
Meeting again, Zhang Xinyue seemed to have become even prettier, she knew how to dress up and had blossomed further.
(End of Chapter)
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